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WMATA Accidents in Washington, D.C.

Have you been injured in a Metrorail or Metrobus accident? Are you unable to work due to your injuries? Are you unsure of how you will pay your medical bills and expenses from the accident?

If so, you need the experienced WMATA accident attorneys at DuBoff & Associates, Chartered. Metrorail and Metrobus accidents cause devastating injuries that result in substantial damages for the victims and their families. In addition to the overwhelming physical injuries that are sustained in Metrorail and Metrobus accidents, victims also suffer from emotional and financial damages. Our attorneys will help you recover the compensation you deserve for your injuries from the parties who are responsible for the accident.

What is the WMATA?

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is a cooperative effort funded by the governments of Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. It consists of the Metrobus system and the Metrorail (also known as the Metro). The Metrorail is a rapid transit rail service used to travel between the three areas while the Metrobus system provides local bus service. The WMATA is a convenient form of travel for commuters and visitors. Approximately 700,000 passengers ride on the Metrorail each day making the WMATA the second busiest transit system in America.

Due to the complex nature of cases involving WMATA accidents, you should seek the counsel of an attorney experienced in handling WMATA accidents. This type of personal injury case has several elements that are unique to WMATA accident cases due to the parties involved and the government regulations applicable to this type of transportation.

If you have been injured in a WMATA accident, contact the attorneys at DuBoff & Associates, Chartered to schedule a consultation to discuss your legal rights to receive compensation for your injuries. Regardless of whether you were a passenger, employee, or bystander, you have the right to receive compensation for your injuries.

What Causes WMATA Accidents?

Metrorail derailments and Metrobus collisions cause severe injuries due to the nature of the vehicles. These transportation vehicles rarely have adequate seating, they lack safety belts, and they are often overcrowded. The combination of these three things causes accidents to be much more serious than other types of vehicle accidents.

Injuries resulting from WMATA accidents include head injuries, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, contusions, amputations, lacerations, broken bones, severe internal injuries, and fatalities. Individuals involved in these types of transit accidents often suffer permanent injuries that change their lives forever. For those who are able to recover from their injuries, they may face years of therapy and medical treatments before they recover fully from their injuries.

Common causes of WMATA accidents include:

Faulty equipment

Improper maintenance

Excessive speeds

Operator fatigue, error, or inattention

Improperly switched lines

Derailments

Accidents are not limited to the busses and trains themselves. WMATA accidents also occur due to faulty elevators, improperly maintained stations, slips, falling objects, and poorly maintained waiting areas.

When accidents occur on the Metrobus or Metrorail, it is important that the parties who are responsible for the accident are held accountable for not providing a safe environment for passengers, employees, and others. Your case provides you with compensation for your damages but it also requires the at-fault parties to review rules, regulations, and procedures and make adjustments, if necessary, to provide a safer environment in the future.

How are WMATA Accident Claims Different from Other Personal Injury Claims?

In a typical personal injury case, you are dealing with an insurance company that represents the negligent party who caused the accident. However, in a WMATA accident, you must deal directly with the government cooperative agency that operates the Metrorail and the Metrobus. The WMATA does not have an insurance company because it is self-insured—meaning that it pays settlements for claims directly from its own funds. For this reason, the cooperative agency does everything within its power to avoid paying large settlement claims. It can be very difficult dealing with this governmental agency.

Furthermore, there are elements of a WMATA accident case that are unique to this type of personal injury case. Only an attorney who has experience handling WMATA accident claims fully understands the regulations and requirements that must be met in order to collect compensation from the agency for injuries sustained in accidents. Our WMATA attorneys have years of experience developing strategies and amassing resources for battling the cooperative agency to collect damages for our clients. We are willing to litigate, if necessary, to force the cooperative agency to treat WMATA accident victims fairly by paying them the compensation they deserve for injuries sustained in a Metrorail or Metrobus accident.

What Types Of Damages Are Available For A WMATA Accident?

When you are injured in a Metrorail or Metrobus accident, your physical injuries are only one element of your damages. You also suffer emotional and financial damages as a result of the accident. Our Washington D.C. Metro attorneys work hard to ensure that you receive compensation for each element of your damages. Whether it is aggressively negotiating with the cooperative agency to arrive at a settlement figure or litigating the matter in court to achieve a better outcome, our attorneys are willing to do whatever it takes to protect our clients’ best interests.

Each personal injury case involves a unique set of facts and circumstances that result in damages that are specific to that case. However, some common types of damages that we see in many WMATA accident cases include:

Past and future medical bills

Lost wages

Loss of earning capacity

Pain and suffering

Physical therapy and medical equipment

Psychological counseling

Reconstructive surgery

Funeral expenses

Contact an Experienced WMATA Accident Attorney in Washington, D.C.

The personal injury attorneys at DuBoff & Associates, Chartered are skilled in the laws applicable to WMATA accidents in Washington, D.C. Our high attention to detail and a commitment to investigate every aspect of your accident claim ensures that you receive the maximum compensation available by law. We work diligently to hold the negligent parties responsible for the accident accountable for your damages.

If you or a family member has been injured in a WMATA accident, contact our office to schedule a consultation. We are here to help you navigate the accident claims process so that you can concentrate on recovering from your injuries.